Maintaining healthy eyesight is important for everyone, but especially for those who wear contact lenses. Fostering daily habits, like reducing screen time and caffeine intake can help to promote eye health in the long term. However, your diet can also have a big impact on your eyesight throughout your life.
Eating the right foods can help you reduce your risk of developing common eye problems such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and dry eyes. Read on to learn about the five best foods to keep your eyes healthy and nourished.
Green Leafy Veggies
Dark green vegetables like spinach, kale, and collard greens are packed with essential vitamins and minerals such as lutein and zeaxanthin that can help protect your eyes from damage due to sunlight exposure. Try adding fresh spinach to your morning omelette or sautéing some kale with olive oil and garlic for a nutrient-packed side dish.
Carrots
Carrots have long been known for their eye health benefits, thanks to their high levels of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene helps protect against age-related vision loss by preventing cell damage in the retina. Plus, they’re tasty and easy to add to almost any meal. Try shredding them onto a salad or roasting them in the oven with herbs and olive oil.
Seeds
Seeds are full of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help protect against inflammation in the eyes that causes dryness or itchiness when wearing contact lenses. Sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds—the possibilities are endless. Sprinkle them onto salads or yoghurt bowls for an added crunch, or try making homemade seed crackers with almond flour and herbs.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A, which helps keep the skin around the eyes hydrated and healthy when wearing contact lenses. They’re also full of fibre which helps reduce inflammation throughout the body — bonus points if you leave the skin on when cooking. Mash them up with butter and herbs for a delicious side dish, or bake them into sweet potato fries for an even tastier treat.
Eggs
Eggs are full of zinc which is great for reducing inflammation in the eyes from contact lens wear. They’re also packed with lutein which helps protect against age-related vision loss. For a quick breakfast option, try scrambling up some eggs with vegetables or make a veggie omelette topped with tomatoes and cheese.
Eating right is key to maintaining healthy vision; however, it’s only one part of taking care of your eyes when wearing contact lenses – be sure to also follow proper cleaning instructions provided by your optometrist. With these five simple recipes in mind, you’re well on your way to keeping your sight sharp while wearing contacts comfortably this season.
Giveaway
To mark National Eye Health Week (18th-24th September), TheraTears are teaming up with opticians to encourage people to care more for their eyes especially with extended screen use. They’ve also offered me a bundle of goodies to give away to one of my readers.
Good luck!
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